My husband suggested that I go out on the 4 wheeler and capture the sight of the combine dumping into the grain cart "on the fly"... as they are moving down the field together and Ed puts corn into the grain cart via the auger... quite and sight! And with the golden corn field and the late afternoon sun, and my mother in law riding along... it doesn't get much better. I will be sharing some pictures of corn harvest, while I share this wonderful story I came across in my Magnificat the other night after evening prayer. It is about the life of a young girl struck down with bone cancer... Blessed Chiara Bandano (1971-1990)
"As a child, Chiara Badano, of Italy, imbibed from her mother a deep love for Jesus and Mary. At the age of 9, she learned of the Focolare apostolate, of which she became a devoted member. Chiara was 16 when as she was playing tennis she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her spine. It proved to be the first sign of bone cancer.
"As she underwent a grueling series of medical treatments, she suffered without complaint. Chiara developed a special devotion to Christ in the mystery of the abandonment he experienced in his passion.
During her illness, she spent hours conversing with her mother about her faith. Chiara also experienced the higher states of prayer, finding it difficult afterwards to descend 'from the heights where I spend my days, where all is silence and contemplation.' She was repeatedly heard to say in her sufferings, 'if you will it, Jesus, I will it too.'
When on her deathbed a priest gave her Viaticum, she saluted the Blessed Sacrament with the words, 'Come, Lord Jesus.' Having spoken of Christ as her Spouse, Chiara, nineteen at her death on Oct 7, 1990, was buried in a wedding gown as she had requested." see http://www.magnificat.com/
I feel like I have a new special friend with us as we continue on the journey called cancer/healing! She embraced her sufferings and through them came so close to her loving spouse, Jesus Christ. Such a lesson to us on how we can find LIFE through the Cross! 
Lord Jesus, may we look at how you abandoned yourself to the will of the Father... out of such love that we cannot comprehend unless we look at your Cross long and hard! Give us the strength to face this day and all that it holds for us... use us to your honor and glory to serve one another. May this love be evident most especially in our domestic Church - our family! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"I am the bread to life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
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